1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic system having an ultrasonic probe which is inserted into an used in coeloms or tubes of a body to obtain sectional images of internal parts of the body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Proceedings of the IEEE, pages 1074-1077, Vol 76, No 9, 1988, discloses a very-small catheter-type ultrasonic probe which is to be inserted into and used in coeloms or tubes of a body to obtain sectional images of internal parts of the body. The prior art ultrasonic probe of the IEEE documents has an elongated casing, and is designed to obtain sectional images of parts of the body which extend around the sides of the casing. It is difficult for the prior art ultrasonic probe of the IEEE documents to obtain sectional images of parts of the body which extend in front of an end of the casing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,158 discloses an ultrasonic probe which is inserted into and used in coeloms of a body to obtain sectional images of internal parts of the body. The prior art ultrasonic probe of U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,158 has an elongated casing, and is designed to obtain sectional images of parts of the body which extend in front of an end of the casing. The prior art ultrasonic probe of U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,158 is of the mechanically scanning type. The mechanically scanning tends to cause a considerable obstacle to the miniaturization of the ultrasonic probe.